The Deepest of Waters
by TheLastBerry
Summary: And when she's dead, she'll make sure she stays that way. SI-OC!
1. In Which She Finds a Family

In her second life, she has something she never thought she would have. A family.

She has a papa and an older brother, and they say she is their lives. She loves them. Her papa says her mama wasn't with them anymore and he says he's sorry, that it wasn't her fault and that they still love her, mama too. She loves her mama too. And she thanks her mama for allowing her her second life.

The second time you're born it's pretty traumatic (unlike the first, you wouldn't remember a thing). A bit like being pulled out a relaxing warm bath and being plonked wet and naked in the middle of M25 in rush hour. You wouldn't blame her when she screamed bloody murder while titan hands took her away, speaking in booming voices. She didn't know that she could be brought into the world twice. Who knew that you could be born again and know- like know how to pull air and breathe- you've been there and done that before.

She didn't understand a word they said in her new life. They spoke fast but she would always hear the word Kameko when they spoke to her. Her new name (she guessed) was weird, but she can cope with something as little as that. When she'd open her eyes she would only see giant blurry figures above her and she would feel a large calloused hand running through her tufts of hair. Sometimes her brother would come and hold her hand, telling stories she couldn't understand.

When she is awake, and everything is gray. Papa and big brother would also be gray, but later she'll see red, then green, then yellow and so on. But papa and her older brother would stay gray and white. She found that weird, but shrugged it off as her eyes still developing.

There were times at night when she would wonder why she didn't have a family like this one in her past life. She lived with a drug addict for a brother who made sure she had a bruise everyday to add to the collection. She couldn't escape because where was she suppose to go? Her mother had abandoned them and her father had somehow wiped himself off the face of the earth. She was living off a job that didn't pay much and it didn't matter anyway, because her brother would always snatch it from her hand to buy things that would pleasure him, be it drugs, alcohol or women. She would cry and her papa would be there to wipe away her tears, thinking she was just hungry, and put her back to sleep.

It takes a while for her to adjust to the new language (she finally figured out that it was Japanese), but in the meantime she would spend most of her days lying down and listening to her brother.

"Ohaiyo, imotou-chan." He would say in a soft voice, while caressing her soft cheeks with his small hands. Then he would begin to tell her about what he saw out in the garden, or maybe he would retell to her the book he had recently read, boasting about how well he could read. Sometimes he would read to her and he would stumble on some of the words and she would giggle. He would try and teach her to read, showing her the book and pointing to the hiragana characters and she would just laugh and play along.

When she is 3 months into her new life her vision became clearer.

Kameko was always up before anyone else in the household, and she would just stare at the ceiling before her papa's blurred face shows up above her. But today was different, today she sees her papa's face, handsome and smiling. Then she sees his hair. White. And his eyes are black and familiar. When her brother comes to her view she sees the same. And she cries.

She cries because she knows these people before her time here, and she realizes where she lives.

Her name is Kameko Hatake, her father is Sakumo Hatake, the White Fang, and her brother is Kakashi Hatake of the (soon to be) Sharingan Eye. She is reborn in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, inside a fictional world called 'Naruto'.

She had come across this in her past life, where she had watched it in her old television and tried her best to make out the figures against the static. When that didn't work, she would borrow the manga every time she visited the library. It was just to past time while she used to hide in her room. She never really got to finish it….

She is scared. Scared of the difference she has made by simply existing. What if her Kakashi dies and Papa dies differently. She doesn't want papa to die- but he has to. There are things she wants to change that shouldn't. It's like one of those apple pyramids, you pick the wrong apple and everything rains down on you.

Papa consoles her, pulling her close and rocking her gently.

"Kameko-chan, why is my sweet baby crying?" he coos and whispers sweet words of love.

Kameko gurgles and saliva escapes from her mouth and down her chin. She tries to say: 'Please stay a while longer.'

* * *

She is quick to walk and started speaking more fluently not much later. Her papa started teaching Kakashi the basics not long after.

Kameko is a year old now and Kakashi is three. Today they sit out in the patio overlooking their garden, a mess of pillows and blankets lay under them. They keep their voices down because Papa is sleeping. It is the middle of the day and they bathe themselves in the sunlight, Kameko's head is in Kakashi's lap, while he reads.

"Nii-san." She says.

He hums to affirm he's listening. She cracks open an eye to peek at him. Kakashi had started wearing his mask before Papa had started teaching him. He doesn't read books about fairy tales anymore. Now he reads history books, books about weapons and different stretching formations. Today he reads: Step by Step Taijutsu Formations for Beginners.

"Read to me please?" Kakashi looks at her before shaking his head.

"This book isn't for you."

"You never read to me like you use to." She tries again.

"Well, you aren't a baby anymore."

"You can still read to people even though they aren't babies!" She pouted. "And it doesn't have to be baby books."

Kakashi rolls his eyes and continues reading, ignoring his whining sister.

Kameko huffs before sitting up. Suddenly, she feels a sharp sting in her chest before she starts coughing violently. The pain grown larger every breathe she heaves, she doesn't know why she is coughing because there is nothing she thinks wants to come out.

Kakashi sits up, alarmed, and stands by his sister, rubbing her back and asking what's wrong. He is scared because he has never seen his sister like this. She is coughing like there's no tomorrow, her coughs are wet and he could hear her gurgle as she takes a breath between coughs.

All she hears is water pounding in her ears. She doesn't hear Kakashi call her name and asking her if she's okay. The water drowns his voice, drowns her own and then she can't breathe. She wants to vomit and feels something traveling up her esophagus and she hurries to cover her mouth. With a final cough her hand feels wet, she takes her hand away and she hears Kakashi gasp and run, calling for Papa.

She tries to say she's fine, but her throat is sore and she sees what's in her hand.

 _bloodbloodbloodbloodblood_

Kameko stares, wide eyed, at her blood splattered hand. Why is there blood?

She is frozen and still staring at her hand when Papa comes, with Kakashi by his side. When he sees her hand, he carries her and they run to the medical building. They take her inside a room, Kakashi sits quietly on a chair, while Papa cleans her hands, but she's still staring. She's trying to remember. Why is there blood? Why was there water? How did she die?

A young woman enters- a Hyuuga, carrying a clipboard. She speaks to her Papa, then she makes her way in front of Kameko. The woman asks permission to touch her. Kameko doesn't answer and stares at the woman. She is very young, Kameko notices, almost in her 20's. She has the typical features of a Hyuuga; long dark hair and pale skin. Kameko feels the pain slowly go away. The woman's hand roams around her chest, then to her back. Kameko looks at Kakashi. He is still sitting and staring at her, worry clear in his eyes. Next is Papa. Papa doesn't show much, he's just staring at her stone-faced, like he was trained to do. She wants to ask them what happened to her but the woman suddenly stills and presses down her chest. Kameko wheezes, as if she had just released all the air in her. The woman nods as if coming to a conclusion and shares a look with her Papa. He nods and they both head to the door. Kameko watches them leave.

Kakashi comes up to her and takes her had. "Don't worry. You'll be fine." He says and kisses her hand.

A small smile fights its way to her face and she squeezes Kakashi's hand. _You and I both know that's not true._

* * *

"There's an abnormal accumulation of fluid in her lungs and it's making it very difficult for her to breathe." Ayako Hyuuga says. "I've only seen things like this with shinobi. Usually when the lungs have been damaged, sometimes an entrance manages to open for the fluid to enter. But from what I see, there's no damage done to Kameko's respiratory system, no infection, no wounds, nothing!"

Sakumo is silent as he looks inside the room with stoic eyes. He sees Kakashi hold his younger sister's hands while Kameko cracks a smile.

"She's premature."

Ayako blinks for a moment and returns her professional facade. "How many months?"

"3 months premature."

"Ah, yes. Your wife didn't have much time to wait for labor... my condolences."

Sakumo nods his head stiffly.

"That may be one of the other possibilities… a baby's lungs doesn't fully develop until the near end of pregnancy. We'll do more tests before we will confirm anything, but take her home for now and come here immediately if you see anything that worries you."

Sakumo nods, "Yes, I will. Arigato."

* * *

When Kameko sees her papa, she sees how tired he is. He doesn't look much like his age. He looks as if his age had doubled.

And when they go home, the sky is orange and everybody is tired.

"I'm sorry, Papa." She says when he pulls the covers on her. His eyes soften and he shakes his head. He tells her that she has nothing to be sorry for. This comforts her, even if only a little.

Then, when she sleeps, she is thrown into a nightmare.

(A woman is walking in the rain through a veil of mist. She is wearing a trench coat that grows heavier as she walks in the rain. She passes by a hurrying man with an umbrella who spares her no glance and she tightens her coat around her. The woman doesn't look like much. Some might see a woman who had forgotten to check the weather forecast, or maybe they might see nothing because they are too busy being busy. That's okay though, the woman thinks.

A car speeds past and drenches her with muddy water, but that's fine… she's almost there anyway. And then she sees it. She grips the railing and lifts herself up. She looks down below and she can't see the bottom because it's covered by mist. She grins. That's fine too… so then she won't know how close she would be at the bottom. She spreads her arms and looks at the crying sky. At least someone cries for my departure. They don't see the woman standing on the rail. They don't see her lean forward and _fallfallfallfall_...)

Kameko Hatake's scream could be heard by the moon.

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I am honored to work with **BillEverymanActorGuy91** as my beta. And thank him for editing any mistakes that I did.

 **Disclaimer** shall only be said once, **I do not own Naruto**. It all belongs to Masashi Kishimoto!


	2. In Which Happiness is Temporary

For three days she does not go outside to the rainy beginnings of spring. She'll run out of believable excuses by tomorrow for sure. She doesn't know how she slowly becomes paler but the two males do. They see how she hides a flinch when she hears the tap running and at night when she throws a pillow over her head when the rain falls harder. She makes an effort to bathe but it takes hours before they hear the water running. They deduced long before that it was because of the nightmare that made her scream bloody murder. Sakumo had seen the look in her eyes that one would find only inside a man traumatized by death.

It has been raining for almost a week and Kameko tries to block out the noise of the falling drops of water with what seems to be an unanswerable query. What had possessed her to commit suicide? Her memories are blurred and all she could think about was the small woman leaning to her death. Her past life's brother may have been the most reasonable answer but she felt that it wasn't the case. It was something else entirely. She held back a whimper as a flash of light came from outside, followed by a roar of lightning. She was alone with her big brother while her Papa had gone on a mission. Kakashi was in the living room, studying to prepare himself for the Academy, which he'll be attending in two more years.

The longer she hides in bed, the worse the weather seems to become. She covers her mouth when a shriek threatened to escape. Her adult mind is not in sync with her child-body; her body reacts like a normal toddler would when hearing something loud and unfamiliar, while her mind thinks otherwise. It's so frustrating and it feels unnatural. She feels her pillows dampen and it take a while for her to realize that she is crying. How can she survive this messed up world, when she couldn't even handle the last. What makes this any different? She buries her head in her pillow to try and muffle her sobs. She doesn't hear the door open and the footsteps that follow. Kameko feels the covers being removed and warm arms wrapping her tightly in an embrace. She lets Kakashi hold her as she wallows in sorrow.

"I'm so sad, Onii-san. I don't know what's happening." She manages to say, burrowing herself deeper into his warmth.

"I don't think Dad and I do either..."

They both fall silent. Kameko not wishing to continue with the conversation, afraid that she might let something spill like she usually does when she cries. She stares at the rain covered window over Kakashi's shoulders and wonders when will the rain stop.

* * *

"It'll be our birthday soon," says Kakashi from where he sat across from Kameko. "And then I'll go the Academy the year after." He pulls some unwanted weeds from their bed of tulips.

His reminder makes her heart sink, but she doesn't show it. Just two more years that will pass too soon until she'll barely see him, and two years until the worst will come. She shakes away those thoughts and thinks that today their Papa will be coming home from his 3 week mission, just four days before their birthday. Their neighbor occasionally drops by to check on them and give them food, since neither of them are old or tall enough to cook. She was a small little thing, one of those civilians who thinks thin is in. Kameko hates that woman.

"Are you even listening to me? Kameko!" Her thoughts were cut off when she felt a bit of dirt hit her cheek.

"Hey!" Kameko whined while Kakashi rolled his eyes. "I am listening!"

"Whatever. So what do you want for your present?"

"You can't just ask me! It'll ruin the surprise." Kameko leans over on her knees to pluck a daisy. Although Kakashi was two years her elder, they both share the same birthday and many mistaken them as twins once they gained that knowledge (who wouldn't?). "You know what they say: A present is made extra special when it's from the heart."

Her brother rolls his eyes at his sister's sentimental words, but doesn't comment.

"When you go to the Academy, you'll still spend some time with me, right?" It was a childish request, she knew, but it didn't stop her from hoping he'd agree and keep his word.

With no hesitation, Kakashi nodded. "Of course I will."

Kameko smiles and presents a crown of daisies on his head, giggling when he made a sound of complaint but didn't make a move to take it off. They both took off to the front door when they heard their Papa call: "Tadaima!" They greeted him with warm hugs and excited replies of "Okaeri!"

* * *

Kameko's training begins a few weeks after her birthday and she is awoken by her Papa too early in the morning. When she goes outside she sees Kakashi finishing a stretch in the yard and the sun isn't half as awake as she is. Her Papa tells her to follow him and they start stretching. It's starts of easy until they reach the sixth stretch. Her arms are sore and can't seem to stand any more of her weight, her Papa shifts her hands further apart to gain more balance. She licks her lips and tastes the saltiness of her sweat. "I can't do this!"

"Hold this position for ten more seconds."

Kameko blows a long breath with her cheeks puffed out and holds on for ten more seconds. She collapses once her Papa reaches ten, she wheezes and tries to control her breathing. Kakashi had finished his exercises and sat on the porch, reading a book. Kameko eyed the glass of iced tea in hand enviously, she was too tired to glare at his smirking face and settled with sticking out her tongue. Her Papa had called them to breakfast and while her stomach begged for food, her body begged to stay and lie down. With great effort, she heaved her body up and dragged herself to a chair. She spotted a bowl of rice and a plate of tamagoyaki. While the two boys said their thanks Kameko stared at her portion of food. So tempting, so delicious. She reached towards her chopsticks before turning her body away from the table and empties last night's dinner.

"KAMEKO!"

That was her favorite breakfast too.

* * *

Sometimes she wonders what else she could have done to make those memories her everyday. What could she have done to not let anything change, let them be stuck in happiness, just her with her brother and Papa. The answer was always nothing. Nothing you can do that will change Papa's fate. He'll still die, a part of her always says, he'll die and Kakashi won't be happy anymore, he'll be angry and he'll drown himself in his sorrows and what will that leave her? Her thoughts always stop there, because she doesn't want to know what answers she'll come up with.

Hatake Kameko lies under the shade of a cherry blossom, her Papa and Big Brother resting on either side of her. She feels their warmth surrounding her and she takes their hand.

Kameko really loves these people, and having to know that one will die and the other would be so screwed up ripped her apart. There are so many things stopping her from doing what she wants to do. She wants to save her family from all this trouble and live somewhere where they won't have to worry about this...this chaos. She was a selfish thing with so many selfish wishes, but selfish people don't get what they want.

What can she do now?

Kameko turns her head to face Kakashi. So peaceful, so young and so precious. Slowly, hesitantly she takes her hand away from her Papa's and covers her big brother's hand.

It'll only be the both of them soon. As she plants a kiss on his hand she makes a promise that she has carved in her heart and burned in her mind.

A sakura petal rests on their entwined hands before it follows the breeze to the skies.

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A bit short but these are just happy times before we get into the real thing. Any thoughts on Kameko? Is she too much, too less? Leave a review.

Thank my beta **BillEverymanActorGuy91** ,for correcting any errors. Any mistakes you see are completely my fault.

And big thank you for those people who have Followed, Favorited and Reviewed. You guys are amazing.


	3. AN

Hey, I'm sorry for not updating for a very long time and I apologize again for this announcement but I've lost interest in this story. No ideas are in my head anymore and there are responsibilities that I have to take care of and I will be leaving this site…

 **BUT!**

I have good news~ I'm leaving this story off to a friend of mine who has recently joined the sight. Her username is **Vivenial.** She'll be rewriting and continuing this story to however she plans it to be. I think she's going to post it sometime soon and I'll keep this story up until she publishes it.

So if you're still interested in this story then check out her profile and wait patiently for it to pop up.

Thank you for all your support, you're all wonderful and your reviews made me incredibly happy!


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